OK it’s fun to think about a new unicycle. I’m getting the urge again. I’ve got several trials, an Oracle 24, and an Oracle 36. I love my 36 for my commute and longer rides. My 24 gets lots of use for muni and for short urban rides. I’ve got 137s on it and like to jump stuff while I’m riding. I use it mainly to get around my work campus, and often jump off stair sets etc. on the way. It does feel just a tad small at times, esp. when climbing and the tire feels like overkill for most of the stuff I do, including not so technical muni. The Duro’s nor here nor there when compared to the Oregon tires I guess. Heavy with a lot of resistance, but not able to plow through stuff as much as the real fat tires.
I find myself wanting a 26 though. Much more of a tire choice for urban riding, and a slightly larger wheel size for muni would be great (I think). I don’t want a 29–it’s just not maneuverable and light enough for the riding I do. I was thinking of a KH 26, mainly because I’d want the flexibility of adding a geared hub at some point. I’d want to add the disc brake, and custom powder coat the frame. Any input from folks who own and/or tried all wheel sizes who especially love the 26 wheel size is welcome.
Any input from folks who own and/or tried all different wheel sizes, but love the 26 is especially welcome.
Any thoughts? The Oregon is tempting too, but the fact is a I do a lot more short urban fun rides (< 1 mile) than muni. Though I do muni maybe 6 times a year or so, and my riding partners have dropped their 29s in favor of the Oregon, which they say is the most versatile muni they own.
I’d guess that the KH26 would be my most versatile choice, though I’m not sure how much of a difference I’ll feel between that and my Oracle 24 with Duro tires. Do you think it would be worth it? I guess I could always sell my 24 if I really like the 26.
I started with a 26, have almost all the wheel sizes (except 36in) and still love my 26 most no matter the tire size
The KH is a good starting point for a lightweight uni. Your tire choice is wide too and you can fit up to a 3.0 tire.
Reading your original post, I was wondering why you don’t give a try to the Maxxis Hookworm in 24x2.5. It is at least 30% lighter than the Duro while still being plenty strong for urban riding.
I’ve had just about everything. I had just bought a brand new 29er when I found a deal on a 26" too good to pass up. Though I had initially gone with the 29" thinking it would be faster, I found I rarely went full speed on a muni and I liked the maneuverability of the 26". Mine has the Duro, and while reports of it being a big, dumb, heavy piece of rubber are probably correct, I like the tire.
I will admit that I just built up a 650b (27.5") to split the difference with a little bit better manners, but I haven’t really ridden it enough to give a full impression.
I also have a 26X4", which is a hoot to ride, but barely practical for anything other than the occasional outing.
And though you didn’t really ask – I took my 36" Todd tire offroad for the first time this weekend and found it to be as good as it is billed to be.
The hookworm is hard to come by but the cyclops is the same tire I think. Maybe I’ll give that a try. If I like it I could build another wheel which could be as much as a new uni
I’m also interested in resale value of high-end 24s, like the Oracle. I could pick up a 26, try it out and see how I like it, then sell the 24. I just can’t afford both.
Would I be able to sell the Oracle 24 on the trading post, and how much do you think I’d be able to get.
The bummer about unicycling is the difficulty of trying before buying. Not like you can walk into a store and try high-end unis. Has anybody recently sold a KH24 or Oracle 24? If so how much did they get for it, and how long did it take?
